Heli-Mart Founder Caps Service at 40 Years

Don Nichols, who founded Heli-Mart (Booth C5111), has retired from his position as president, the MD authorized service center (ASC) announced at Heli-Expo in Las Vegas. Ed Brown, who has operated Heli-Mart along with Nichols, assumed full ownership of the company on January 1. Brown is serving as the new president. Brown has also sold his personal stake in Phoenix Heliparts (Booth C1527) to Nichols, ending a period of joint ownership in the Mesa, Ariz.-based MRO. Nichols will continue to serve as a part-time consultant, or “customer ambassador” for Phoenix Heliparts.

Nichols notes that his plans don’t involve just riding off into the sunset when it comes to Heli-Mart, which also works on Bell and Eurocopter variants. In addition to taking some time off, Nichols insists he wants to “keep in touch” with Heli-Mart operators. “It’s tough to quit something you’ve been doing well, and happily, for 50 years,” he said.Related:Maintenance News